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Laura Hasenbank waited impatiently for her boyfriend to return home one night in December. She was starting to get worried, when her son came barreling through the front door with the news: Ike Boone had been in a rollover.

“It was really hard on all of us,” Hasenbank said. “Ike had become a big part of our lives. I found out after the accident that he was going to propose to me on Christmas.”

They took him to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. The doctors released him when he showed incredible progress — on one condition: if anything changed, he was to come back immediately.

His condition got worse, but Boone was stubborn and didn’t think he needed any more medical attention. He passed away two days later, Dec. 18, from internal injuries.

“I couldn’t make him go,” Hasenbank said. “No one could make him go. He was just too stuck in his own ways.”

Immediately, Hasenbank’s world turned upside down. But even in the darkest days, she said one thing remained: the support of everyone in the Marion community.

In the past month, Hasenbank said she has had around 75 friends come by her house to offer condolences.

“People are just really nice here,” she said, explaining that she has had numerous gifts, contributions and even anonymous monetary donations. “I can’t express how wonderful it is to be in a community where people really care for each other.”

She said she is continually shocked when she finds someone has paid off her electric bill — or has left her money.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “This community has always helped me and my boys. But, this has just been wonderful. Everybody has done so much. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.”

As a single mother, Hasenbank said she has had little time to grieve, since she works in the day and parents her children at night.

“They’re not making this easy for me,” she said. “It’s not their fault, but things are just really hard right now.”

She said she tries to stay strong, but it doesn’t always work. When things get tough, there is always someone willing to lessen her load — even if it is just for a while.

“I was about ready to break down when a couple of my friends asked if they could take care of my twin boys for a while in the evening,” she said. “In the end, they took them in for two whole days. I could do whatever I wanted. It felt wonderful. I could just take a bubble bath and go to sleep.”

Hasenbank said people are still approaching her, asking how she is doing — and if they can help her in any way. While she appreciates their support, she says it is at times overwhelming.

“Sometimes, you just get tired of seeing people,” she said. “It’s important to have time to mourn. I haven’t been able to do that with everyone coming over — and raising my boys. It’s just been really hard.”

But she wouldn’t trade the support of the community for anything.

“I moved out of Marion for a little while, but I came back,” she said. “There’s no other place like home. People are just not nice like this everywhere.”

Now, as the commotion surrounding the tragedy slowly fades, Hasebank said she is finally getting the opportunity to say “thank you.”

“Everyone in this town is such a blessing to me,” she said, “They have been so wonderful. I can’t even tell you what a blessing it has been to me and my family. I just hope I have the opportunity to pay it forward someday.”